Merry Christmas!

     Merry Christmas!! You are most likely thinking that this will be  post full of pictures from my Christmas, sorry to disappoint you but it is not. I will give you this link to see a video my mom made, enjoy.
    This post will not be your typical after Christmas blog post, it is going to be about struggle. Mainly my struggle this Christmas. Usually, at Christmas we all get exited to open gifts, see family, eat holiday treats, be with friends and celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have feelings of excitement, nostalgia, peace, happiness and belonging. These feelings make up what we have termed "the Christmas Spirit". For some reason that "spirit" was not in me, I was happy to have a break from school, be with family and eat good food, but something was missing. I was going though the motions of my family's traditions the different parties, seeing the lights in the park, and cooking for the brunch. through all these things I was putting up a front of being happy and exited but I was not.  I could not keep up the act for long. I became cranky, sensitive, short and critical of the ones I had missed for so long. My mom took me aside and asked what was the issue. When I told her she gave me some good advice. She told me to read my bible and talk to God. So, I read, prayed, cried, read some more and prayed again. I read the Christmas story in both Matthew and Luke. I read Genesis 15:1-6, Proverbs 3:5-8, Romans 5:1-11, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Hebrews 10:19-25 35-39 11:1 and verse 6. I read 1 Kings 3:6-14, Romans 12:1-3, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 1:912  and James 1:2-6. Reading these passages did not fill me with the "Christmas spirit" but they helped me to allow the Holy Spirit take control and fill me with joy and perfect peace. When I say joy  I am referring to the joy that comes from being a child of the one true King, an everlasting joy, that is not  dependent on my situation but on my standing with Christ. I was better enabled to focus on others than my self. I made me realize for so long the happiness that had come with Christmas before did come from the true source of my happiness but rather my selfish desires. This year the joy I got on Christmas came from remembering who I was to God and his Son, my Lord and Savior. Now I am not saying I am perfect but I am being made into the image of the reason for the season, and that is what is truly important to me and Him.  Happy New Year!         

promise

We all have had promises made to us and we have made promises ourselves.Sometimes those promises get broken and forgotten, but there is one who never brakes or forgets the promises he made. God always   keeps His promises. God promised to send a savior after the fall of man. Genesis 1:15 "And I will put enmity between thee (talking to the serpent) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel ." God promised Abraham that the savior would be one of his decedents. Genesis 22:18 "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." God promised  Bethlehem, a small town in Judah, that a great ruler would come out of her. Micah 5:2 "But thou, Beth-lehem Epratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting." God promised to send a sign as to who the Messiah would be. Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel." God kept all those promises and many more when he sent his Son to die for our sins! Jesus is the savior Genesis 3:15 talks about. Jesus is a decedent of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Luke 2:4-7 "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the hours and lineage of David: to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swadling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Jesus was born of a virgin. Matthew 1:18, 22-23 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found of child of the holy Ghost." 22-23 "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  So in this Christmas season and all though out the year let us remember that God always keeps his promises!

Merry Christmas!! and a Happy New Year!!!!

Hannah!

Happy Birthday! you made it to 17!! We have had some crazy adventurers in those 17 years, praying that God gives us more crazy adventures in the next 17! Here is your present !! Hope you like it!!  

Rejoice and trials

"God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man.

Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;

In darkness He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.

I bowed to the will of the Master that day;

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;

God strengthens His children and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;

Through purging more fruit I will bear.

Chorus: 

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold."

Rejoice in the Lord by Ron Hamilton

So today in chapel we had a singspiration, something know to the rest of the world as a song service. For you who still have no idea what I talking about: today in chapel we did not have someone preach but we spent the whole time singing praises and hymns. This was one of the songs that we sang. As I am sitting there singing this song my mind starts to wander and think about what is it that I am saying, so I thought I would share those thoughts with you.      

                                               "God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant and molding a man.

Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;

In darkness He giveth a song.

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold."

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " When people we know are going through hard times or a test of faith it is easy for us to tell them this. It is easy to stand on the outside and encourage people to trust in God and that he knows what He is doing. 

 "I could not see through the shadows ahead;

So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.

I bowed to the will of the Master that day;

Then peace came and tears fled away.

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold."

Over the last few years as different things happened to my family I would use words or phrases similar to those in this verse and chorus to encourage myself to hold on to God that he is not done with my family and He knows what he has in store for us and why those things happened to us and when they happened. This verse also reminds me that when I am in a test of faith or the circumstances around me case the way to be unclear that I need to look to the cross and to Jesus like we are commanded to do in Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. "  When I look unto Jesus it helps me to rejoice in the fact that God makes no mistakes and He is still in control. 

"Now I can see testing comes from above;

God strengthens His children and purges in love.

My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;

Through purging more fruit I will bear. 

O Rejoice in the LORD

He makes no mistake,

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,

For when I am tried

And purified,

I shall come forth as gold."

 

Now we get to where I am (ish). After the trial is over we are able to look back and praise God for all that He taught us as we went though the trial. We are able to see how God has grown us and changed us to more like His son. Now is stead of using the words of the chorus remind and encourage me, I can sing them with conviction and knowing that they are true and a deeper understanding for that they are saying.   

In closing the last 2-3 years have been hard on my family with deaths of people we hold dear and those we wish we could have met, but now we are looking forward to some happy times and we know that God is good through it all the good and the bad. 

Well I should go do homework now but I would like to leave you with this thought "God is good even on a Monday" to quote a friend of mine Mary Davis (aka "Munchie") .  

cross roads

Cross roads, a fork in the road, a change in plans, or redirection. What ever you call it, that is were I am sitting. Most people get here their last year of school, so I guess it is fitting that I am sitting here now at a fourth of the way through my last year at Bob Jones University. God uses people we meet, troubles we go through, speeches we hear, reading His word and other books to direct us in the way we are to go. Some times the path is not clear like a sidewalk, but more like a overgrown tail through the woods. So here I sit a a fork in the path, unsure if I am acutely at a fork or  if I just think there is a path and there is not one. Anyone who knows me really well knows that I really like plans and I really do not like uncertainty.
   In Children's Church on Sundays the kids are working on memorizing Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for them that love God who are called according to His purpose." The way we and teaching the kids this through the stories of the nation of Israel that are found in the Old Testament. Especially through the lives of Joesph and Moses, both of these man went through a lot of ups and downs in their lives and yet they were faithful to God and the loved him no matter what happened to them. I am sure that at times they were uncertain about the way God was taking them to their calling, just like I am right now.
   We are told in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." and then the rest of the chapter is filled with stories of men and woman that had faith and trusted God. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rehab, Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel and the list could go on and on. Then when we get to chapter 12:1-2 we read "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of  our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
   So even though I do not know which is the right way to go I will set my focus on my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, I will take courage in the fact that all these great people of faith have gone before me and have fought the good fight and have won the prize. With these reminders and this sight to set my focus on I will not let uncertainty get me down. I  will trust God and his plan, because I know that ALL THINGS (this means the good, bad, easy and hard things) aid in the good God has in store for me and He is preparing me to do His work... where ever that might be.                

Samantha

Dear Samantha,
       Happy Birthday!!!! You made it to 13 years old! Not sure how you did it, but you did. Life will get harder, but I will be there to help you. I draw the line at anything that will get me in trouble. You have grown so much in the last year! Trust in the Lord, Pray without stopping, do not burn the house down, and listen to Mom and Dad. Now click here to open your present!
                                                                          Happy Birthday! with love,
                                                                                                Nathalie

Mom!

No it is not the one day we set a side to honor our mothers, but rather it is my mom's birthday. Since I am miles away and am a poor college student, I mean we are always told it is the thought that counts right? So mom, instead of getting you something you may not use or need, or giving you food, I am giving you this: Mom click here to open your gift! Happy Birthday!!!!

Lessons and Reasons

       Through out life we learn lessons and we we give reasons. This year I learned a lot, and as I sit here at what marks the halfway point in my summer I look back at the lessons I learned and the reasons I gave. So far this summer alone I learned not to be the person nobody wants to work with, smile, reach out to co workers and try not to sound like a know-it-all. I learned never be afraid to ask for help, specially went removing hot heave pans from the oven, hurt pride is better than a burned arm. I learned to love those around me, let them get in and steal my heart then to pour my self out for them no matter how hard it is. I learned how to butcher salmon fillets, how to remove the skin without ripping the fish to shreds. I learned that you can make three kids really happy by showing them how to draw a sidewalk chalk house and give each of them their own room to decorate the way they want and not to be concerned with a bit of chalk dust on the clothes. I learned that I need to be loader in the kitchen and not to worry about messing up so much. I learned that as a guest you it is okay to impose on your host and hostess, a bit. I learned how to make pretzel bites and a bunch of different pastries. The ultimate reason I give when people ask why I am doing all this is I want to open my own bakery. The immediate reason I have for doing all this is so that I can fill a requirement for the Culinary Arts degree I am working towards.
    Through all this God was teaching me again and again to trust Him. He orchestrated my paths and  my days to make sure I was safe when it seemed like I might not be. He would put a verse or a song  in my head, to encourage me when I was down. As Sovereign over the Universe He worked it so that when I needed a word of an encouragement from a friend, either the friend would be there to give it or it would pop up on my Facebook feed. I know for a fact that if I was not leaning on His everlasting arms this summer would have been a whole lot harder. The reason God did all this for me, the reason He dose anything for anyone is the same reason He sent His only son to die on the cross for my sins, He loves me. John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I look forward to how God will continue to show his love for me!

Daddy,

Daddy,

       Today is Fathers day, but you already know that. What you may not know is how much you how much of an impact on my life. You taught me how to do work right, even if it took me a while to learn that lesson. You taught me how to take care of my self when I get hurt, how to fix a shelf and work with wood. You showed me how to love others even when it is hard. My whole life you showed me love, from spending time with me when you were busy to driving 6 hours to visit meat school. Thank you Dad for all that you have done for me and me sisters working long hours so that way we could eat and have a home. All young girls want to marry a man just like their Dads and I am no different. I wish to marry a man that is a lot like you.
                                                           Love,
                                                                 Nathalie
http://skitguys.com/videos/item/dad-taught-us 

Thank you Mom

Dear Mom,
       Thank you, I do not say it enough. Something else I do not say enough is I love you. Mom, you have given so much to me. You gave your time to me and your love. Some how no matter how down I am feeling you can always cheerer me up. You know when I need encouragement, or the hard cold facts. You taught to love God, care for others, to put the needs of others before my own, how to silently witness to those how are not open to the gospel. You taught me how to work hard at my school work, the importance of keeping my word no matter how hard, to put school work before fun. You taught me that it is okay to cry, laugh, love and fail sometimes, how to dress appropriately, how to stand firm in what I believe and to hold true to my standers. You taught me that importance of family, friends, and kids.
    You gave up so much for me. You gave up getting a big back deck so that I could follow God's will. You gave up the vacation you plan so that I could go to college. You gave up many nights of sleep to care for me and to make sure I was safe. You gave up evenings and sat in the cold so that I could learn how to train my dog.
     You instilled in me the value of honesty, modesty, hard work, and a good book. You constantly remind me to love God above anything else, and to trust him. You showed me how to honor others peoples time with being on time. You ingrained in me the the necessity of family, trust and responsibility. Happy Mothers day!!
                                                                                           with love your daughter
                                                                                                              Nathalie        

One year done!!

.....annnnd Done! Finished my first year at BJU!! I learned a lot and had a ton of fun. Now it is time for pictures!

 

  Snow days!! In February

 Society- pin the hat on the duck.

 Society- hiking

 Society- planning (this photo was taken in January!!)

 Year book photo

 Co-workers

Wednesday night deaf ministry  

And a short video I made

Answers

"When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window" Maria from The Sound of Music 

God is so Good Attributed to Velna Ledin

God is so good,

God is so good,

God is so good,

He’s so good to me!

God answers prayer,

God answers prayer,

God answers prayer

He’s so good to me!

He cares for me,

He cares for me,

He cares for me,

He’s so good to me!

" If God answers "Yes" He is increasing your faith. If "Wait" He is increasing your patience. If "No" He has something better for you." Nicky Gumbel 

"A ship in motion is easier to turn then a ship standing still." Sam Smith (If he got it from somewhere else I do not know)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Some times when I pray I want God to answer MY way and not HIS way. The Lord showed me this this past week. All week long I have trying to figure out my schedule for next semester, trying to figure out how many credits I could take with out killing my self. Trying cut down on the the number of semesters it would take me to finish a BS in Business after getting my AS in Culinary Arts. I have been praying that God would give me the courage to take 20 credits next semester. I prayed that God would show me what he wanted me to do but in reality what I wanted was God to show me the way to do what I wanted. God used a wise woman in my life to make me see that I need to trust His plan and not try to force my own plan. God then used that same women to help steer my choices as she has done my whole life. This change in my plans is good, it  makes my short time at BJU all the more sweeter. I will trust in the one who holds my future and the one who is writing my part in HIStory.    

Field trip!!!

Today I went on a field trip with my culinary arts class!! Here is the time line of how things went.

7:30 am Arrive at the culinary arts building

8-9:30 Make and eat home fries and omelets for breakfast. In doing so we learned how to flip the eggs in the pan with a flick of the wrist. 

9:30-10:45ish Clean lab and watch a demo on making Bavarian cream 

11-11:35 A fantastic chapel by Dr. Bob Jones III 

11:35-12:10 Head  back to culinary arts building to load in to vans and get ready to go!!

1:30-2:10 Arrive and tour  Underground Baking CO.. Wow what a great place learned a lot and got some good ideas for when I open my bakery.

2:20-2:40 Arrive at  McFarlan bakery to look and sample some goodies. I got an old fashion Boston cream pie doughnut, it was so good!

3-4 Visit  Kilwins. Watch them make fudge, taste said fudge. I also learned about different types and flavors of chocolate.

 4:10-4:30 Visit Van's Chocolates and see all the different kinds of molded chocolate you can do, from open bottom to sells to be filled.  

4:50-5:35 Eat dinner at the Flat rock village bakery. For dinner I had Goat cheese pizza, it was fantastic.

When I got back to my room  I found that while I was resting my eyes on the way back to school someone took my camera and took these:

 all in all it was a great day with my culinary buddies!  

Birthdays

If you had told me a year ago I would be a sophomore at BJU on my next birthday, I would have told you "You're crazy!" If you had told me a year ago that I would have roommates that  put balloons in your bed on your birthday I would have said "No way!" If you had told me a year ago that I would have the most caring friends here at school I would have said "You are pulling my leg." But here I am a year later and I am a sophomore at BJU with roommates that not only put balloons in my bed while I am sleeping but also cover the door with  "Happy Birthday" signs. All you have to do is look at my facebook wall and see that I have friends that care a lot.
    This past year was not easy nor would I want it to be, I have no doubts that next year will be just as hard if not harder. I also know that it was God who got me through the last year and that He will get me through the next 50 years.
           So as I start off  on an other year around the sun I will trust God, plan on having a good time, and leave you with these verses
Jeremiah 29:11-12  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Valentine's Day

I want to tell you about a Valentine's day gift that was given to me. This gift is not something I could consume, spend or wear. It will not get broken, lost or forgotten. It is a gift that came at a huge price tag. It is the gift of 

God's Love. 

  

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am so thankful for the gift of love God gave to me, His only son. I am often blown away with how a perfect God could love me a sinner. 

God does not just love me, God loves you too. 

4-H

          Earlier today I found this video: So God made a 4-Her. And it got me to thinking about my experience as a 4-Her, I have been able to do amazing things because of and through 4-H. How many teenagers can say they know what Roberts rules of order are? or that they have been to Washington DC to speak with legislative aids for their state senates and representatives? How many people will say that they love to give speeches in public? or that they have meet other teens from all over the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico? How many are willing to help those younger then they are learn a skill? How many teens will give up their Friday nights to train a dog? I could go on for hours, listing every thing I have ever done in 4-H, but I think you get my drift.
         My mom often says that our family bleeds green. She does not mean that we are Vulcans but, rather that we are 4-Hers. To me 4-H is not just a club or an event you go to, it is more then that it is a way of life. If it were not for all my years in  4-H I may not be the person I am today, Thank you Mom and Dad for putting me and my sisters in 4-H. Thank you to all the leaders, volunteers, and everyone else in 4-H for keeping this program going.    

Accountability and goals

     When reading  a friends blog ( http://calledbynameashis.blogspot.com/2014/01/goals.html) she encouraged the readers to make their goals for 2014 know to those around them. So this is me going "all Rose- like" in making my goals know.
   
         Academic:

1.  Stay on track with homework.
2.   Take better notes in class.

          In my relationship with my God and King:

1. Read my bible more.
2. Do my devotions EVERY day.
3. Spend more time in prayer and less time worrying about things out of my control.   
4. Trust God more.

          In my relationships with people:

1.   Keep friends and family posted is to what they can help me in prayer for.
2.  Try to spend more time with friends.
3. Help others when ever I can.

     Those are my goals for this up and coming year, and I wholeheartedly give every one who reads this to keep me accountable.